What you cannot know is that there exists an extreme irony, in that, but for one unforgivable sin - far more terrible things might have transpired.' The lives of Rosalie Douglas and her teenage daughter, Maddie, are changed forever when they meet Jed, a beautiful, charismatic young man at Bereavement Counselling. Inexplicably and self-destructively, Maddie holds herself accountable for her brother's drowning accident in Thailand. Jed moves into their lives and their home. Calming the tensions between mother and daughter. He understands the twisted wilderness of grief. Lover and confidante to a besotted Maddie, gentle surrogate son to a grateful Rosalie - on the surface their lives are transformed. But underneath a deadly and morally corrupt triangle is taking shape... Rosalie commits an unspeakable act which forces her to unravel the truth behind the beautiful stranger in their midst. The truth behind the death of her son. And the true extent of just how far she's prepared to go - to save what remains of her family.

    

    Wonderfully crafted, El Hacho is a poignant and compelling story of struggle and hope.

    Everyone thinks he's a laughing stock now, including his ex-wife and even his agent. When it seems things couldn't get any worse, a chance encounter results in Robinson moonlighting as a hitman. But that's when things take a surprising turn, because the more people he kills, the more the art world seems to fall back in love with him. This blackly comic short story was first published in "Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine" in August, 2005.

    Lisa hears a knock at the door. When she opens it, she finds a mysterious man in need of shelter. He got caught out in the storm while hunting, unaware of the storm that was bearing down on the small town. Lisa gives him shelter, happy to have some company to ride out the storm. Both people are there for their own reasons and as they get to know each other, the storm outside is matched by the one inside the small cabin. Late at night, Will goes to Lisa and the two find something to keep themselves warm during the long, cold night.

     Farzana is one of the prostitutes at Begum's kotha and Ramakant Bannerjee, the writer, loves her deeply. He's promised to marry her once he has enough money. He's currently writing his most ambitious novel, the story of Kaneez. As the story of Kaneez unfolds, so does the intriguing life of Farzana. What fate does she meet? Read on to find out.

    Makayla Young has over a thousand rules. She has rules about love, life and even sex. When will she ever learn you cannot control and keep a man with rules. Will her rules cause her to loose another man?

    He told her he would make her his wife and protect her. In her state of haze, she agreed.The stranger was her savior and she was thankful but was he really her husband? How did the handsome, charming man end up becoming Her Unexpected Husband?Note: This is a short and sweet romance with a happy ending.

    Hoffman, however, things are not quite as ordinary as they seem. Quickly, these scenarios are flung down a surreal rabbit hole filled with bizarre taxidermy museums, and an outrageous relationship involving a silverback gorilla. Yet, amid all of its convention-smashing glee, Secrets of the Wild reveals a generous and moving portrait of a family, a family doing their best to keep it together—to play-act at normalcy, even sanity—in an American landscape slipping into madness.

    Outpost - A prelude to Blood on the Snow with Jack Hallam. The Emerald Graves - Lorn Mullone at the Battle of Vinegar Hill. Pipe and Drum - A tale of the Battle of Assaye seen through the eyes of a Highlander of the 78th Foot. Plains Wolf - Rifleman Arthur Cadoc impresses a certain Spanish Guerrillero. Summer is Coming - There is nothing more horrific than the horrors of the French retreat in icy Russia, 1812. The Diabolical Circumstance of Captain Bartholomew Chivers - A funny story in the vein of Harry Flashman. Flowers of Toulouse - A chilling story. Lamentation - A redcoat looks back on his life after the Battle of New Orleans. Enemy at the Gates - The bloody defence of Hougoumont. The Bravest of the Brave - Ney's final moments at Waterloo.

    There have also been questions posted on Ask.com and other places regarding the veracity of the events in this book. Reece writes for therapy. After an unusual and generally unhappy childhood, writing is all he has - apart from work. After his ninth book he is still getting rejection slips from publishers. No one likes rejection, least of all Reece. He hits on a plan, write a first person account on the inner workings of a Serial Killer's mind. Especially while the memory of the killing is still fresh. All it takes is Research! See for yourself why this book has had so many positive reviews - you will either love it or hate it but you won't forget it. Reece rocks!

    Back-in-print early work by the author of subUrbia and Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll.

    The Frogs is an unforgettable read by one of India’s most-loved authors.

    Those trapped inside the castle are used to dealing with the volatile mix of light-fingered teens and obnoxious tourists; less so a truckload of explosives and a hidden agenda. For Catherine and her team, it's a recipe for a potentially deadly day off. Tense, twisted and laugh-out-loud funny, Siege Mentality is a day-trip you won't forget. For more from Catherine McLeod, read the Jasmine Sharp trilogy, beginning with Where the Bodies are Buried , a sample from which is included with this short story.

    But when he retires, his Irish-born wife, Mary, wants to leave America and go home -- where the ocean is near and the butter has flavor.Somewhat grudgingly, Lyle agrees, but during their years in Galway, they discover that the surprises of life are not over. Going home is more complicated than butter and the bay, and thirty content years does not mean that a couple is immune to romantic intrigue. In this new life, while Mary and Lyle are rediscovering each other and building a richer life together, an unexpected event forces Lyle to decide where his home truly is.Told in "quiet stories with emotions like old stepping-stones that have sunk beneath the surface" (Christian Science Monitor), Beth Lordan's evocative and heartfelt novel explores the complex emotional terrain of mature marital relationships.